VDCI provides science-based mosquito control through a comprehensive Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) framework. We create customized programs for municipal, county, and parish officials, utilizing a combination of GIS mapping, weather monitoring, mosquito surveillance, and laboratory testing to inform our operations. VDCI also offers additional support for existing abatement programs.
By combining source reduction, larviciding, and adult mosquito control with environmentally responsible biological and chemical methods, we ensure that each intervention is targeted for maximum effectiveness.
Source Reduction: Eliminating Mosquito Breeding Habitats
Reducing available breeding habitats for mosquitoes is a simple and effective way to reduce populations. It is recommended to conduct large-scale drainage projects throughout communities to reduce mosquito breeding habitats.
Although VDCI does not attempt such projects, we will work closely with local agencies in identifying drainage problems. VDCI has the ability to apply herbicides on a limited basis to roadside ditches, which helps both drainage and evaporation to reduce mosquito habitat.
Educating the public about best practices for source reduction can enhance your overall Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) program. Our team will conduct neighborhood source reduction campaigns, which involve going door-to-door and performing inspections as necessary to reduce the population of urban mosquitoes, such as Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. We will also educate homeowners on how to identify and eliminate mosquito habitats to control mosquito breeding in their backyards.
Larval Mosquito Control Services
Experts utilize two types of control measures for mosquito larvae: biological and chemical control methods. Both approaches proactively target mosquitoes early in their life cycle before they have the chance to develop into biting adults.
Biological Control of Mosquito Larvae
Biological control of mosquitoes ranges from naturally occurring organisms such as birds, bats, fish, dragonflies, copepods, and mosquito larvae, to artificially introduced organisms such as Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (Bti) and Bacillus sphaericus (Bs).
Although few of the biological control agents occurring in nature are available to mosquito control specialists, the introduction and replenishment of Gambusia affinis (the mosquito fish) afford good control in pools, ponds, ditches, and drainage canals, where allowed by law.
The most effective and environmentally sound biological agents are Bti and Bs. These products are available in liquid, granular, and time-release formulations and pose little threat of resistance development. When mosquito larvae are detected in an area, VDCI will most often use these environmentally sound biological products to eliminate the problem.
Chemical Control Options for Mosquito Larvae
Chemical control of larval mosquitoes is carried out when and where biological control is not feasible. Methoprene, an insect growth regulator (IGR), can be used in any mosquito-producing area where extended control is desired.
These areas can be treated on a 45-150 day schedule once positive production is found. Control of mosquitoes found in tire piles throughout a municipality can be treated at 30-day intervals using methoprene. Any use of non-biological larvicides is closely monitored, and mosquito species exposed are tested regularly for any evidence of resistance. Chemical larvicides can be used in briquette, granular, or liquid forms depending upon treatment needs and habitat type.
Larviciding Techniques for Mosquito Control
Larviciding can be conducted using a variety of equipment and methods. Backpack applicators and spreaders can be used where vehicle access is unavailable. Tire piles, swales, retention ponds, backyards, etc., can be treated with this type of equipment.
Power sprayers and spreaders capable of holding from 15 to 100 gallons are also mounted on All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) or trucks when larger areas need treatment. VDCI also has the capability to conduct larviciding via our in-house aerial fleet. These mechanisms can be used with all types of larvicide and in most habitat types, such as marshes, swales, or septic ditches. Public parks, golf courses, and ball fields can also be treated quickly and efficiently when surveillance indicates the presence of mosquito larvae.
Adult Mosquito Management Strategies
When surveillance indicates that adult mosquito populations have exceeded thresholds or disease risk is imminent, adulticiding serves as the final, critical component of an Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) program. At VDCI, we use surveillance, source reduction, larviciding, and public education in concert to minimize the frequency of adulticiding applications. When necessary, we select the most environmentally responsible adulticides and conduct rigorous insecticide resistance testing to ensure long-term program efficacy.
VDCI operates the nation’s largest private fleet of specialized aircraft and truck-mounted Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) equipment. Every vehicle is equipped with GPS tracking to provide precise route delineation and transparency. Our technology is calibrated to the most stringent standards, ensuring optimal droplet size and accurate placement for maximum control with minimal environmental impact.
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